Generally in a vacuum cleaner the air on the blower side of the filter passes through the blower fan and radially outwardly through, for example window openings in the housing which forms part of the blower motor. Apart from noise made by the blower motor itself, passage of exhaust air from the blower motor housing to the one or more openings through which exhaust air escapes from the vacuum cleaner body contributes substantially to vacuum cleaner noise. In the prior art it has been to reduce the noise of exhaust air by causing the exhaust air to pass along a passage, or through a space, containing a sound absorbing material such as, for example, a polyurethane foam.